The FCC Space Bureau approved Amazon Leo’s application concerning its proposed acquisition of Globalstar on October 27, 2026, according to an October 28 report by Inside Towers, which said the approval came the day before. Inside Towers reported that the application involved about 25 MHz of Globalstar mobile-satellite spectrum and a proposed purchase valued at about $11.5 billion.
What the reported approval covers
The FCC’s stated public-interest rationale, as reported by Inside Towers, included better data coverage in unserved or underserved areas, stronger emergency communications, support for industrial and enterprise data services, and more intensive use of mobile-satellite spectrum. Those are the agency’s stated reasons for the action, not a report that the proposed benefits have already occurred.
Globalstar’s C-3 grant is a separate action
In a separate action reported as taking place during the week before October 28, the FCC Space Bureau granted Globalstar U.S. market access for its non-geostationary C-3 System. The reported authorization covers 1610–1618.725 MHz for Earth-to-space links and 2483.5–2500 MHz for space-to-Earth links.
Inside Towers reported that Amazon Leo could use the C-3 authorization to build and launch the system after the transaction closes. The acquisition approval and the C-3 market-access grant are separate regulatory steps; the possible build and launch follow the transaction closing. Separately, NeoTeo’s earlier coverage of Amazon Leo’s planned LE-04 mission described a 36-satellite launch planned from Kourou no earlier than November 23, 2026.
